perversum

Perversum is a Latin term that refers to the neuter singular form of the adjective perversus, meaning turned aside, twisted, or deviating. In Latin grammar, adjectives agree with the nouns they modify, so the masculine form is perversus, the feminine perversa, and the neuter perversum. The neuter form can appear in predicative or substantive positions when referring to a neuter noun or abstract concept, and it may occur in inscriptions and scholastic texts.

Etymology and sense: The word derives from per- meaning through or thoroughly, plus vertere meaning to turn. The broader semantic field covers both physical turning and figurative deviation. The related noun perversio, meaning a turning aside or perversion, and the English term perversion share the same root. In classical Latin, perversus often conveys “turned aside” or “deviant,” and by extension can be used figuratively to denote moral or logical improperness in appropriate contexts.

Modern usage: In contemporary Latin dictionaries, perversum is listed as the neuter form of the adjective and is not commonly used as a standalone noun in everyday Latin; scholars typically select perversus or perversio depending on the grammatical needs and sense. The term also figures in discussions of Latin morphology and philology as an example of adjective agreement and form. The English word perverse ultimately derives from the same Latin root, via later Romance languages.